TAUNTON — Valentine's Day at Taunton Nursing Home on Friday was an opportunity for couples to renew their marriage vows to one another.

The tradition, which dates back at least 10 years, is officiated by Taunton City Clerk and justice of the peace Rose Marie Blackwell, who goes table to table to conduct a brief, heartfelt ceremony.

"This is my beautiful bride of 64 years, and she looks just as beautiful today as when I married her," said Richard Curry, 92, his voice cracking and his eyes welling with tears.

Curry's bride, Harriet Curry, is also 92, but does not live at Taunton Nursing Home. She said her husband moved into the city-owned facility last summer.

She was there Friday, visiting Richard with their granddaughter, Laurie Tedeschi, and her husband, Bill, and one of the couple's grandsons.

Despite health problems, Richard became energized and emotional as he recounted his visit to Washington, D.C., in September as part of Honor Flight New England honoring WWII veterans.

A total of seven couples renewed their marriage vows this year, as compared with eight in 2013. In attendance for a second straight year was state Rep. Shaunna O'Connell, R-Taunton.

"I think it's nice that they do these things for the people here," said Louise Dias, 61.

Dias was about to renew her vows with husband Francis, 71, who has lived in the nursing home since September.

Lillian Tooley, 87, waited her turn sitting next to her husband, Jerrold, 79.

"I'm a little nervous," she said, when asked to comment on the day's event.

Jose Valadao, 89, and his wife Maria, 81, were at a table with granddaughters Lina Cabral, Maria Brasile and Lucia Vieira and her husband, Elmiro.

"I like it because we're renewing the vows," Jose said in Portuguese with Cabral acting as an interpreter.

"The same thing," his wife chimed in.

Brad Davidson, a hospice chaplain with Brookhaven Hospice of Framingham, gave the opening blessing.

Davidson, who has been married 33 years, said each couple's "declaration of commitment," is inspiring to himself personally and should be to other people in and outside the nursing home. He also said his opening blessing was improvised and not prepared or written out.